Method and system for locating a wireless tracking device

ABSTRACT

A wireless tracking device can utilize a location detector, such as a GPS receiver or a short-range receiver, to provide locational information for the wireless tracking device. The wireless tracking device can transmit the locational information over a cellular network. Geofences can help manage location of the wireless tracking device. An analysis can be conducted at the wireless tracking device, at a server, or at some other appropriate location to assess integrity of the locational information. A determination as to whether the wireless tracking device is in an area can be based on the locational information and the integrity of the locational information.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application is a divisional application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/789,085, filed Jul. 1, 2015. The entire contentsof the patent application identified above is hereby incorporated hereinby reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present technology relates generally to devices for trackinglocations of people and objects, and more particularly to determiningwhether a wireless tracking device is in a location based on locationalinformation transmitted from the device and integrity of the locationalinformation.

BACKGROUND

Wireless tracking devices can be useful for tracking people, animals,and inanimate objects, for example by attaching or otherwise associatinga wireless tracking device to the item being tracked. The wirelesstracking device can transmit a wireless signal that conveys locationalinformation about the wireless tracking device, and thus about the item.In many cases, uncertainty or inaccuracy may be associated with thetransmitted locational information. Conventional approaches to locationmanagement of wireless tracking devices generally lack adequateprovisions for coping with or mitigating such uncertainty or inaccuracy.

Accordingly, there are needs in the art for managing location detection.For example, need exists for taking uncertainty, inaccuracy, orinformation integrity into account. A technology addressing such a need,or some related deficiency in the art, would support more robustlocation management.

SUMMARY

In one aspect of the disclosure, a wireless tracking device can transmitlocational information over a wireless network. One or more indicatorsof integrity can be associated with the locational information, forexample reflecting accuracy or uncertainty of the locationalinformation. An indicator of integrity and the locational informationcan be utilized to make a determination about whether the wirelesstracking device is in an area.

In another aspect of the disclosure, signal processing can compensatefor error, uncertainty, or diminished integrity in locationalmeasurements to support determining whether a wireless tracking deviceis in a geographic area of interest. A signal can convey informationabout location of a wireless tracking device. The information can definea geographical area in which the wireless tracking device is deemed tobe located. The determination can be made based on computing overlapbetween the geographic area of interest and the geographic area in whichthe wireless tracking device is deemed to be located.

The foregoing discussion of wireless tracking in an environment ofuncertainty is for illustrative purposes only. Various aspects of thepresent technology may be more clearly understood and appreciated from areview of the following text and by reference to the associated drawingsand the claims that follow. Other aspects, systems, methods, features,advantages, and objects of the present technology will become apparentto one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawingsand text. It is intended that all such aspects, systems, methods,features, advantages, and objects are to be included within thisdescription and covered by this application and by the appended claimsof the application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is functional block diagram of a wireless tracking system inaccordance with some example embodiments of the present technology.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a wireless tracking device inaccordance with some example embodiments of the present technology.

FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C (collectively FIG. 3) are illustrations describingdetermining whether a wireless tracking device is in an area of interestin accordance with some example embodiments of the present technology.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a process for determining location for awireless tracking device in accordance with some example embodiments ofthe present technology.

Many aspects of the technology can be better understood with referenceto the above drawings. The elements and features shown in the drawingsare not necessarily to scale, emphasis being placed upon clearlyillustrating the principles of exemplary embodiments of the presenttechnology. Moreover, certain dimensions may be exaggerated to helpvisually convey such principles.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Certain embodiments of the disclosure can improve operations of acomputer-based system and process for tracking location of a device, forexample in an environment in which locational information hasuncertainty or diminished integrity that would otherwise negativelyimpact performance.

Some example embodiments of the present technology will be discussed infurther detail below with reference to the figures. However, the presenttechnology can be embodied in many different forms and should not beconstrued as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, theseembodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough andcomplete, and will fully convey the scope of the technology to thosehaving ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, all “examples,”“embodiments,” “example embodiments,” or “exemplary embodiments” givenherein are intended to be non-limiting and among others supported byrepresentations of the present technology.

Some of the embodiments may comprise or involve processes that will bediscussed below. Certain steps in such processes may naturally need toprecede others to achieve intended functionality or results. However,the technology is not limited to the order of the steps described to theextent that reordering or re-sequencing does not render the processesuseless or nonsensical. Thus, it is recognized that some steps may beperformed before or after other steps or in parallel with other stepswithout departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure.

Turning now to FIG. 1, this figure illustrates a functional blockdiagram of a wireless tracking system 200 in accordance with someexample embodiments of the present technology. The illustrated wirelesstracking system 200 can be viewed as an example operating environmentfor a wireless tracking device 100 or for technology for determininglocation under uncertain conditions.

In the illustrated embodiment, the wireless tracking system 200comprises a cellular system 202. As illustrated, a wireless trackingdevice 100 is located near two cell towers 250 and may communicate witheither via respective communication channels 275. The cell towers 250communicate with a server 210 over a network 205. In some exampleembodiments, the network 205 comprises the Internet.

A user station 225 is also connected to the network 205. The userstation 225 can communicate with the wireless tracking device 100through the server 210, or alternatively directly. The user station 225provides an interface through which a user can interact with thewireless tracking device 100 and the server 210. For example, in anembodiment in which the wireless tracking device 100 comprises anoffender monitor, an officer may track offender movements and historicalmovement patterns through the user station 225. In various embodiments,the user station 225 can comprise a smartphone or other handheld device,a laptop, a workstation, a personal computer, or other appropriatesystem.

The server 210 provides location services for the wireless trackingdevice 100 as well as for other wireless tracking device (notillustrated) that may be attached to people, animals, or objects. Insome embodiments, the server 210 can comprise a gateway or middlewareserver. Additionally, the server 210 may store configuration data thatmay be downloaded to the wireless tracking device 100, such as duringstartup or rebooting.

In the illustrated example embodiment, the server 210 comprises anetwork interface, for example an Internet connection. As illustrated,the server 210 further comprises memory 260 and a processor 270 orcontroller that is operably linked to the memory 260 and to the networkinterface 280. In some example embodiments, the server 210 can comprisea group or cluster of servers acting as a single logical entity.

As illustrated, the memory 260 comprises or stores a locating engine 265for managing location of the wireless tracking device 100, as well asfor other wireless tracking devices linked to the cellular system 202.The locating engine 265 can comprise instructions for device location inan environment of measurement uncertainty or diminished integrity, asfurther discussed below and as represented in flowchart form by FIG. 4.

Turning now to FIG. 2, this figure illustrates a functional blockdiagram for the example wireless tracking device 100 according to someembodiments of the present technology. In the illustrated embodiment,the wireless tracking device 100 comprises a cellular module 305, a GPSreceiver 350, a microcontroller system 325, and other sensors 310, allof which are powered by one or more on-board batteries 375. The cellularmodule 305 comprises an example embodiment of a radio. The GPS receiver350 comprises an example embodiment of a location detector.

The other sensors 310 may include tamper detectors, orientation sensors,switches, microphones, gyroscopes, accelerometers, compasses, etc.Example tamper detectors can include switches that open or close toprovide an electrical signal when a housing is opened or otherwisebreached, fiber optic strands that are embedded in an offender monitorstrap to break and stop transmitting an optical signal when the strap iscompromised, and other appropriate tamper sensing devices.

In some example embodiments, the cellular module 305 and the GPSreceiver 350 are integrated into a single modem module or chip or chipset. In operation, the cellular module 305 maintains a connection to oneor more cell towers 250 over one or more wireless channels 275 through awireless network as illustrated in FIG. 1. In an example embodiment, thecellular module 305 continuously attempts to keep a cellular connectionavailable to the tower 250. In such an embodiment, the server 210 cancontrol the operation of the wireless tracking device 100 by sendingcommands or other data to the wireless tracking device 100. In variousembodiments, the cellular module 305 can comprise CDMA, GSM, UMTS, HSPA,or LTE technologies.

When triggered by the microcontroller system 325, a GPS location readingoccurs on the GPS receiver 350. The microcontroller system 325 canfurther control the cellular module 305 in connection with transmittingacquired locational information (GPS data or otherwise), notifications,alarms, and other appropriate data and with receiving commands and otherdata. In some embodiments, locational information is obtained utilizingcell-tower-based triangulation, such as advanced forward linktrilateration (AFLT), or using a signal-strength-based locationapproach, such as received signal strength indicator (RSSI) based ontower or Wi-fi signals. The wireless tracking device 100 can utilizesuch technologies as embodiments of a location detector to augment orsupport, or as a substitution for, satellite-based location tracking.Further, GPS tracking can utilize assisted GPS (A-GPS) to improvelocation acquisition speed.

As illustrated, the wireless tracking device 100 may comprise one ormore Wi-fi or short-range receivers 352, for example as optionalcommunication devices and/or as location detectors. The wirelesstracking device 100 can utilize the Wi-fi or short-range receivers 352to determine location utilizing a fixed-beacon approach, for example.

In an example embodiment, the microcontroller system 325 comprises alow-power microcontroller and associated memory 330. The microcontrollersystem 325 can comprise a microprocessor or other appropriate processor,for example. Example embodiments of the memory 330 can comprise volatileand nonvolatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM) and flashmemory for example. In an example embodiment, the memory 330 cancomprise firmware for executing management and control functions. Forexample, the memory 330 can comprise persistent memory that storesprogram code, including a locating engine 333. An example embodiment ofthe locating engine 333 comprises computer executable instructions forutilization of the GPS receiver 350 or other location detector, or forcode for implementing process 400 that is illustrated in flowchart formin FIG. 4 and discussed below.

In some example embodiments, the wireless tracking device 100 comprisesa tracking device for monitoring the movement of an individual. Forexample, the wireless tracking device 100 can comprise an offendermonitor, which may include a strap that extends around an appendage ofan offender who is being monitored, such as around the offender's leg orarm. The strap can be attached to a housing that encloses electricallypowered elements. The offender may be a criminal on parolee or a personwho is under a government order for monitoring or a restraining order orhouse arrest from a court or other authority, for example.

Turning now to FIG. 3, this figure provides three illustrations aboutdetermining whether a wireless tracking device 100 is in an area ofinterest according to some example embodiments of the presenttechnology. As further discussed below, the determination can compensatefor location uncertainty or diminished integrity of locationalinformation.

FIG. 3A illustrates an example scenario in which the wireless trackingdevice 100 is located in the general vicinity of a point 405 ofinterest. The point 405 of interest may represent a person, a place, ora thing or a geographical coordinate or region that might not associatedbe with any particular person, place, or thing.

In some embodiments, the point 405 is well defined and has an associatedgeofence 425 that is also well defined. For example, the point 405 mightdefine a school location, and the geofence 425 might define a perimeterthat a parole officer or other user has drawn around the school on anelectronic map in order to specify a geographical area that is offlimits to a parolee.

However, in some other embodiments, the point 405 has a degree ofinaccuracy or uncertainty. For example, the point 405 may havecoordinates determined by a GPS signal that exhibits noise or otherwisecomprises imprecision. For example, the point 405 could specify alocation of a person who moves while under GPS tracking. The geofence425 could provide a protected space around the person, such as anoffender's victim. When the victim moves, the point 405 can move withthe victim, and the geofence 425 can move so that a safe zone followsand constantly surrounds the victim. In this scenario, the victim maycarry his or her own wireless tracking device that dynamically reportsthe victim's location to the server 210. The server 210, in turn, cantransmit the victim's location to the wireless tracking device 100 thatis worn by the offender, so the wireless tracking device 100 can keeptrack of the victim's location and take action if the offenderencroaches on the victim's safe zone. In this type of scenario, thepoint 405 may exhibit uncertainty due to locational resolution, signalinterference, noise, or other source of locational informationdegradation or impairment. To address such uncertainty, as furtherdiscussed below, the geofence 425 may have an inner boundary ofconfidence 420 and an outer boundary of confidence 430, which mayrepresent circular error probable (CEP) confidence intervals forexample.

In various embodiments and depending on whether well defined orexhibiting uncertainty, the geofence 425 may be exclusionary orinclusionary. In some embodiments, the geofence 425 can cause an action,for example providing a notification, when the wireless tracking device100 crosses or violates a geofence boundary and enters a prohibitedarea. For example, the geofence 425 could provide a boundary around aresidence or workplace of a victim of an offender that is being trackedby the wireless tracking device 100. As another example, an offenderwith a record of child abuse may be prohibited from entering an areathat surrounds a school and that is defined by the geofence 425. An actof the wireless tracking device 100 crossing the geofence 425 to enterthe area can raise an alarm or other notification.

In addition to an exclusionary function, the geofence 425 may provide aninclusionary function to establish an area that a person or item is notallowed to leave. For example, a parolee's movements may be confined toa designated area that has an associated geofence. In this case, thegeofence 425 may establish an included or allowed area. If the paroleeleaves the area, the parolee's parole officer can receive a notificationthat is automatically generated when the parolee crosses the geofence.

To reflect uncertainty in location of the point 405 (for example inconnection with a GPS signal as discussed above), the geofence 425 canhave an associated inner boundary of confidence 420 and an associatedouter boundary of confidence 430. The inner boundary of confidence 420can define an innermost location and size of the geofence within athreshold level of confidence based on statistical analysis oflocational information for the point 405. Similarly, the outer boundaryof confidence 430 can define an outermost location and size of thegeofence within a threshold level of confidence based on statisticalanalysis of locational information for the point 405. In variousembodiments, the threshold levels of confidence may lie in a range of 25percent to 99.9 percent, for example.

In some example embodiments, a locating engine 333 incorporated in awireless tracking device of a victim can conduct a statistical analysison locational information conveyed by wireless signals received by theGPS receiver 350 or the Wi-Fi or short-range receiver 352 to produce aconfidence interval. As another example, the locating engine 265 of theserver 210 can conduct the signal analysis on locational informationreceived from a wireless tracking device of a victim. In variousembodiments, the statistical analysis conducted at the server 210 or ata wireless tracking device (or at some other appropriate location) maycomprise analysis of variance, chi-squared testing, mean square weighteddeviation, regression analysis, time series analysis, Kalman filtering,or other appropriate digital signal processing technique or dataanalysis methodology known in the art.

Locational information of the wireless tracking device 100 can undergosuch statistical analysis at the wireless tracking device 100 or at thesever 210 to define a confidence interval for the wireless trackingdevice 100. The computed confidence interval can produce a best estimatefor area of location of the wireless tracking device 100 as well as aninner and an outer range based on a threshold likelihood. The outerrange, the best estimate, and the inner range can be respectivelyspecified by the boundary 455, the boundary 450, and the boundary 445 asillustrated in FIG. 3A.

While FIG. 3A illustrates circular boundaries 455, 450, 445, 430, 425,420 associated with the wireless tracking device 100 and the point 405,various other boundary forms may be utilized. In the example embodimentof FIG. 3B, the boundaries 455A, 450A, 445A, 430A, 425A, 420A for thewireless tracking device 100 and the point 405 are elliptical, with amajor axis 442 and a minor axis 441. The dimensions along the major andminor axes 442, 441 can result from individual statistical analyses onorthogonal signals that may specify North-South and East-Westorientations, for example. In some embodiments, the orthogonal signalsare based on positional sensors within the wireless tracking device 100and are related to North or some other geographical coordinate system,for example using an electronic compass within the wireless trackingdevice 100. In the example of FIG. 3B, the boundaries 455B, 450B, 445B,430B, 425B, 420B have example polygonal forms.

As illustrated in FIG. 3A, the region of the boundary 425 and the regionof the boundary 425 can overlap, in an overlapping region 480. Therelative area of the overlapping region 480 (or the amount of overlap)can be used to determine whether the wireless tracking device 100 isinside the geofence boundary 425. Using relative overlap can compensatefor uncertainty, inaccuracy, or diminished integrity of locationalinformation associated with the wireless tracking device 100 or thepoint 405.

In an example embodiment, the locating engine 265 of the server 210 orthe locating engine 333 of the wireless tracking device 100 computes thearea inside the geofence boundary 425, computes the area of theoverlapping region 480, then computes a ratio between the area withinthe boundary 450 and the area of overlap. If the ratio is above athreshold value, then the locating engine 265 or the locating engine 333can make a determination that the wireless tracking device 100 is withinthe geofence boundary 425. Similarly, if the computed ratio is below thethreshold, then the wireless tracking device 100 can be deemed to beoutside the geofence boundary 425.

In various embodiments, the determination can be made using area andoverlap computations that use the inner boundaries 445, 420; the middleboundaries 450, 425; or the outer boundaries 455, 430; or combinationsthere of. Using the inner or outer boundaries 445, 420, 455, 430 canprovide an additional level of compensation for diminished informationintegrity, for example.

In one example embodiment, the GPS receiver 350 provides GPS data andaccuracy data representative of a circle or ellipse. Statistical data(either accompanying or derived) can indicate that an “x” percentile ofpoints are within a certain distance from truth and “y” percentile oftime it is within “z” from truth. In other words, based on an overlap ofan outer circle and inner circle with an area of interest, adetermination can be made regarding whether the wireless tracking device100 is inside or outside of a defined geographical zone within a definedthreshold of certainty. For example, if there was a desire to determineif the wireless tracking device 100 has entered an exclusionary zonedefined by the geofence 425, the determination could be based on overlapbetween the region of the boundary 455 and the geofence 425. If, on theother hand, there was a desire to determine whether the wirelesstracking device 100 has left an inclusionary zone, the determinationcould be based on overlap between the region of the boundary 445 and thegeofence 425. In a scenario where an offender is deemed particularlydangerous, the determination may utilize overlap associated with theboundary 445 and overlap associated with the boundary 455, for example.

In some example embodiments, accuracy information for a point can berepresented as a circle or an ellipse while accuracy information for acell tower sector can be represented as a hexagon. In some exampleembodiments, overall accuracy shape is represented with a geo-fence ofinterest, for example a circle or polygon.

In some example embodiments, a GPS receiver 350 can provide informationsuch as a CEP circle as opposed to a fixed accuracy measurement. Forexample, a CEP 50 percent circle may be 10 meters, meaning that there isa 50 percent chance that the point is within 10 meters from truth. Asanother example, a CEP 95 percent circle may be 100 meters, meaning thatthere is a 95 percent chance that the point is within 100 meters fromtruth.

In various embodiments, the actual accuracy information or CEP circledata can be used to determine geofence overlap and thus wirelesstracking device location, for example. Based on type of zone (forexample inclusion or exclusion), type of offender (for example extremelydangerous), and preference of an officer or other user, a threshold andCEP circle can be selected for location determination, for example.

An example embodiment of a process 500 for determining location for thewireless tracking device 100 will now be described in further detailwith reference to the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 4. Example referencewill further be made to the preceding figures, without limitation. Insome example embodiments, instructions for execution of the relevantsteps of process 500 can be stored in the memory 330 and executed by themicrocontroller system 325 of the wireless tracking device 100 or storedin the memory 260 and executed by the microprocessor 270 of the server210. For example, process 500 can be practiced using instructions thatare provided in the locating engine 265 or in the locating engine 333,or that are divided between the two locating engines 265, 333.Recognizing that the process 500 can be implemented or practiced invarious places, the process 500 will be discussed below with referenceto the server embodiment, without limitation.

At block 510 of process 500, the server 210 receives a locational signalabout the wireless tracking device 100, which may be produced at thewireless tracking device 100 in some example embodiments.

At block 520 of process 500, the server 210 processes the receivedlocational signal. Processing the locational signal can compriseextracting conveyed data, conducting a statistical analysis, extractingmetadata, or other appropriate form of processing. From the processing,the server 210 determines locational information about the wirelesstracking device 100 and integrity of that locational information.

At block 525 of process 500, the server 210 computes one or moreboundaries of confidence for location of the wireless tracking device100, for example based on the locational information and the integrity.As discussed above, example embodiments of the computed boundaries ofconfidence can comprise one or more of the inner boundaries 445, 420;the middle boundaries 450, 425; or the outer boundaries 455, 430illustrated in FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C.

At block 530, the server 210 computes the area of the overlap 480between the region bounded by the boundary of confidence and the regionbounded by the geofence 450.

At block 535, the server 210 computes a ratio of the area of the overlap480 to the total area of the region surrounded by the geofence 450.

At decision block 540 of process 500, the server 210 compares the ratioto a threshold value, as discussed above. If the ratio is greater thanthe threshold, process 500 branches to block 550. If the ratio is notgreater than the threshold, process 500 branches to block 560.

At block 550, the server 210 deems the wireless tracking device to bewithin the boundaries of the geofence 425. At block 560, the server 210deems the wireless tracking device to be outside the geofence 425.Process 500 ends following execution of block 550 or 560, asappropriate.

Technology for location determination in an environment of uncertaintyhas been described. From the description, it will be appreciated thatembodiments of the present technology overcome limitations of the priorart. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the presenttechnology is not limited to any specifically discussed application orimplementation and that the embodiments described herein areillustrative and not restrictive. From the description of the exemplaryembodiments, equivalents of the elements shown therein will suggestthemselves to those skilled in the art, and ways of constructing otherembodiments of the present technology will appear to practitioners ofthe art.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for improving operation of a geofencingsystem in which locational measurements have error, the methodcomprising the steps of: receiving a signal that conveys informationfrom a wireless tracking device about a location of the wirelesstracking device; determining a first boundary that encloses a firstgeographic area representative of an area in which the wireless trackingdevice is deemed to be located; based on a statistical analysis oflocational information about a geofence around a point of interest,determining: a second boundary that encloses a second geographic arearepresentative of the geofence around the point of interest, an outerboundary representative of an outer range of the second geographic area,the outer range associated with an outer boundary of confidence for thegeofence around the point of interest, and an inner boundaryrepresentative of an inner range of the second geographic area, theinner range associated with an inner boundary of confidence for thegeofence around the point of interest, wherein the second boundary isdisposed within the outer boundary, and the inner boundary is disposedwithin the second boundary; computing an area of overlap between thefirst boundary enclosing the first geographic area representative of thearea in which the wireless tracking device is deemed to be located andthe second boundary enclosing the second geographic area representativeof the geofence around the point of interest; computing a ratio betweenthe area of overlap and the first geographic area; and determiningwhether the wireless tracking device is within the second geographicarea based on comparing the computed ratio to a threshold.
 2. The methodof claim 1, wherein the conveyed information comprises a coordinate ofthe wireless tracking device and associated accuracy information.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the conveyed information comprises acoordinate of the wireless tracking device and an associated distance,and wherein the first geographic area comprises an area that is centeredon the coordinate and that is dimensioned according to the associateddistance.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the area is substantiallycircular.
 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the area is substantiallyelliptical.
 6. The method of claim 3, wherein the area is substantiallypolygonal.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the conveyed informationcomprises: a coordinate of the wireless tracking device; first accuracyalong a major axis; second accuracy along a minor axis; and directionalinformation, and wherein the first geographic area comprises anelliptical area that is centered on the coordinate, that has a sizedefined by the first accuracy and the second accuracy, and that has anorientation with respect to North defined by the directionalinformation.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second geographicalarea is defined by a geofence for a fixed geographic location.
 9. Themethod of claim 1, wherein one or more of the second boundary, the innerboundary and the outer boundary are substantially circular,substantially oval, or substantially polygonal.
 10. The method of claim1, wherein the second geographical area is defined according to locationand accuracy data for a second wireless tracking device.
 11. The methodof claim 1, wherein a server performs the step of receiving, the step ofcomputing the overlap, the step of computing the ratio, and thedetermining step.
 12. A system, comprising: a wireless tracking devicecomprising a transmitter that transmits a signal comprising informationabout a location of the wireless tracking device and a server configuredto: determine a first boundary that encloses a first geographic arearepresentative of an area in which the wireless tracking device isdeemed to be located; based on a statistical analysis of locationalinformation about a geofence around a point of interest, determine: asecond boundary that encloses a second geographic area representative ofthe geofence around the point of interest, an outer boundaryrepresentative of an outer range of the second geographic area, theouter range associated with an outer boundary of confidence for thegeofence around the point of interest, and an inner boundaryrepresentative of an inner range of the second geographic area, theinner range associated with an inner boundary of confidence for thegeofence around the point of interest, wherein the second boundary isdisposed within the outer boundary, and the inner boundary is disposedwithin the second boundary; compute an area of overlap between the firstboundary enclosing the first geographic area representative of the areain which the wireless tracking device is deemed to be located and thesecond boundary enclosing the second geographic area representative ofthe geofence around the point of interest; compute a ratio between thearea of overlap and the first geographic area; and determine whether thewireless tracking device is within the second geographic area based on acomparison of the computed ratio to a threshold.
 13. The system of claim12, wherein the information comprises a coordinate of the wirelesstracking device and an associated distance, and the first geographicarea comprises an area that is centered on the coordinate and that isdimensioned according to the associated distance.
 14. The system ofclaim 13, wherein one or more of the area, the second boundary, theinner boundary and the outer boundary are substantially circular. 15.The system of claim 13, wherein one or more of the area, the secondboundary, the inner boundary and the outer boundary are substantiallyelliptical.
 16. The system of claim 13, wherein one or more of the area,the second boundary, the inner boundary and the outer boundary aresubstantially polygonal.
 17. The system of claim 12, wherein theinformation from the wireless tracking device comprises: a coordinate ofthe wireless tracking device; first accuracy along a major axis; secondaccuracy along a minor axis; and directional information, and whereinthe first geographic area comprises an elliptical area that is centeredon the coordinate, that has a size defined by the first accuracy and thesecond accuracy, and that has an orientation with respect to Northdefined by the directional information.
 18. The system of claim 12,wherein the second geographical area is defined by a geofence for afixed geographic location.
 19. A system comprising: a network interfaceconfigured to receive a signal that conveys information from a wirelesstracking device about a location of the wireless tracking device;memory; a processor that is operably coupled to the network interfaceand to the memory; and processor executable instructions stored in thememory for performing the steps of: determining a first boundary thatencloses a first geographic area representative of the area in which thewireless tracking device is deemed to be located; based on a statisticalanalysis of locational information about a geofence around a point ofinterest, determining: a second boundary that encloses a secondgeographic area representative of the geofence around the point ofinterest, an outer boundary representative of an outer range of thesecond geographic area, the outer range associated with an outerboundary of confidence for the geofence around the point of interest,and an inner boundary representative of an inner range of the secondgeographic area, the inner range associated with an inner boundary ofconfidence for the geofence around the point of interest, wherein thesecond boundary is disposed within the outer boundary, and the innerboundary is disposed within the second boundary; computing an area ofoverlap the first boundary enclosing the first geographic arearepresentative of the area in which the wireless tracking device isdeemed to be located and the second boundary enclosing the secondgeographic area representative of the geofence around the point ofinterest; computing a ratio between the area of overlap and the firstgeographic area; and determining whether the wireless tracking device iswithin the second geographic area based on comparing the computed ratioto a threshold.
 20. The system of claim 19, wherein the information fromthe wireless tracking device comprises: a coordinate of the wirelesstracking device; first accuracy along a major axis; second accuracyalong a minor axis; and directional information, and wherein the firstgeographic area comprises an elliptical area that is centered on thecoordinate, that has a size defined by the first accuracy and the secondaccuracy, and that has an orientation with respect to North defined bythe directional information.